Electric vehicle.



'No. 708,962; Patented Sept. 9, I902. .1. c. HENRY, Decd. S. Aw HENRY,Executrix.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

(Applicltion flApd Doc. 27, 1901-) gem/1m? [22 i/azl'or m: nouns Packs:0. PNOTO-LITHOY. WASHVNGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SUSIE A. HENRY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, EXECUTRIX OF JOHN C. HENRY,

DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO STANLEY ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COM- PANY, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 7 8,962, dated September9, 1902.

Original application filed June 3,1899, Serial No. 719,264. Divided andthis application filed December 27, 1901. Serial To all whom it mayconcern.-

Be it known that JOHN C. HENRY, now deceased, but during his lifetime acitizen of the United States, and aresident of Denver, in the county ofArapahoe, State of Colorado, did invent certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Vehicles, of which the following is aspecification.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 719,264, filedJune 3,1899, by John C. Henry, the present case relating to theapparatus described in such original application, said originalapplication having been restricted to a certain method of controllingelectric motors.

The invention relates to improvements in electric vehicles, and althoughmany of its features are applicable to electric cars it will bedescribed as applied to an electric vehicle of the automobile type.

The invention more particularly relates to the control of a pair ofdynamo-electric machines operating an electric vehicle. The machines inthis case are used for several purposesviz., propelling the vehicle,retarding or braking the same, regenerating electricity to its originalsource, and also for steering the vehicle. In other words, the motorsare employed to operate and stop a vehicle to regenerate to the batteryin the form of electricity the energy ordinarily destroyed by theapplication of frictional brakes where they are used to overcome theforce of momentum or gravity.

Means are also shown whereby the motors may be employed to recharge thebattery in an economical way by having them driven mechanically whenacting as generators.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents diagrammatically a development ofthe preferred form of controller, together with diagrams showing thevarious courses of the current through the motors and also showingconnections with the source of energy, motors, the. Fig. 2 shows thecontroller in elevation. Fig. 3 is a side view of a special form ofcontact-maker. Fig. 1 is a face view of the same. Fig. 5 showsdiagrammatically the connections of the source of energy-i. 6., the bat-(No model.)

tery, with the motors and controllers and an overload alarm. Fig. 6shows in diagram the same combination as shown in diagram 9, Fig. 1; butin this case a special form of trolleyswitch is also used therewith,whereby the motors may be short-circuited free from the line.

In Fig. 1 ARM 1 and ARM 2 represent the armatures of a pair of motors,while F and F represent the fields of the motors. Trolley represents thesource of energy, whether from a railway circuit or battery, whileGround represents the other side of the circuit. The diagrams on theright-hand side of the development show the course of current when thecontact-fingers are in line with the corresponding numbered positions onthe left-hand side of the development. Diagram 1, which corresponds withposition No. 1, Fig. 1, shows armature No. 1 in series with its ownfield and field No. 2 in series with its own armature, while a crossconnection of high resistance is shown between the two motors. In thiscombination it will be noticed the motors are disconnected from thesource of energy, it being preparatory to the combination shown indiagram No. 21. e., the combinations are effected before the trolley isconnected to them. In position 2, diagram 2, it will be noticed that themotors are simply series machines placed in parallel with the line, thisbeing the starting position, and where the circuit is finally brokenwhen stopping it is particularly desirable that the motors have greattorque. At the same time the amount of current they are dealing with isvery small, being limited by the high resistance of the fieldmagnetswhich are ordinarily employed in shunt. The resistance forming the crossconnection between the two motors is used for a double purpose. First,it otters a path for the back kick (which appears on breaking themagnetic circuit) from the low-resistance armature instead of compellingit to dissipate where the resistance is 1 very high. As the force ofthis kick is propor-- 1 tional to the resistance which it has to contendwith it is highly important in order to prevent puncturing theinsulation that it is furnished with a lower resistance path or circuit.Secondly, this cross connection serves to tie the motors together, sothat slipping of one and throwing of an undue proportion of the load onthe otheris avoided. Byleaving the motors cross connected, as shownt'.e., the field of No. 2 in shunt with armature No. 1 and the field of N0.1 in shunt with armature No. 2the controller produces a desirable resultand overcomes a defect well understood in the operation of motors fortraction purposes. In the ordinary series arrangementon railway-cars,for instance-the slipping of the wheels on one motor increases thatmotors speed and its voltage, and consequently robs the other motor ofits voltage and force. While both motors are compelled to take the sameamount of current, the slippage of one pair of wheels increases thevoltage of its motor nearly equal to that of the line, so that thesecond motor has no force and its wheels stand idle. By the arrangementshown the slipping of one motor increases the force of the other, sothat the traction-wheelsaretied,asitwere,together. Bearing in mind thisexplanation it will be seen how we are able in the following positionthat is, in No. 4--to remove one motor from the circuit without sparkingor flashing at the contacts or other abnormal effects. The fieldresistance gradually short-circuits the field of the motor No. 2, (seediagram 4,) so that the corresponding armature revolves without cuttinglines of force. "Its electromotive force and resistance are reduced toalmost nothing. Then thearmature is short-circuited,as shown in position6, diagram 6, the field being previously short-circuited and removed bythe resistance. This leaves butone motor in the circuit-i. e., No. 1armature and its own field, as shown in diagram 6. In position 7 weprepare to put motor No. 2 in parallel with No. 1. We first put thefield in series with the resistance across the main. (See diagram 7.)The next step, position 8, diagram 8, we connect the armature in shuntwith its own field. In this position the armature being driven by themovement of the car generates a current counter to that from theline andmeets and opposes that coming from the line through the resistance, sothat the current from the line and that from motor No. 2 are inopposition, and consequently neutralize each other. Consequentlyarmature No. 2 may be connected or disconnected from the circuit withoutflashing, and interruption of the circuit is avoided. In diagram 9 themotors are shown in parallel. In diagrams 10and11 they are also shown inparallel, with resistance in their field-circuits which regulates theirspeed. Diagrams 12 and 13 showmeans of applying the brake after the backelectromotive force of the motor (owing to the slowing down of thespeed) has decreased so far that it can offer no available resistanceagainst that from the line.

In Fig. 6 means are shown whereby the supplementary or trolley switchmay be used to short-circuit the motors in parallel to give a maximumbraking effect.

In retracing this description it will be observed that starting withposition 11, diagram 11, and moving backward we gradually increase theelectromotive force of the motors, so that they regenerate current tothe line or battery. The force of momentum or that of gravity is thusreturned to its original source instead of being wasted by friction whenslowing down, checking, or braking the vehicle.

It will be observed in position 2, diagram 2, that the amount of currentabsorbed by the motors is very small owing to the higher resistancecommonly used in shunt-wound-motor fields, so that when the circuit isbroken the flash is correspondingly small. At the same time there can beno flash occasioned by the self-induction from the fields when thecircuit is broken, as is usually the casein the ordinary series motors.

In position 1, diagram 1, there are two series motors in parallel with atie including all the resistance from the leaving side of second fieldto entering side of first field, all connections being made exceptingthe open circuit at the top of contact No. 10.

In position 2, diagram 2, the connections are the same as the above,except the circuit is closed on the trolley by contact No. 10. The pathof the current is then as follows: Current enters contact 10 bytrolley-finger and branches, one half going to contact 9 via connections10 17' 9 and via contacts 17 and 16, through armature 1 out finger 1 Ato contact 3, thence to contact 4 via connections 3, thence out finger 1F through No. 1 field to the ground. The other half leaves contact 10,going to contact5 via connections l0, l7, 9, and 5,(and contacts17,l6,and 9,)thence outfinger 2 F through the second field,thence tocontact No. 7 via finger 2 F thence to contact 6 via connection 6,thence to armature 2 via finger 2A, and then to the ground. The tie ofresistance starts from contact 7, goes through connection 7, outresistance-contact B, through 5 resistance divisions viaresistance-fingers 5 to the entering side of field I. This tie extendsacross from the leaving side of the second F to entering side of firstF.

In position 3, diagram 3, the path of the current in this position iselectrically the same as in position 2, with the exception that theresistance has been decreased until its place has been taken by aconductor having he resistance, which starts at contact 8 and goes tocontact 6 via connection 8, contact 7, and connection 6',thns connectingthe leaving side of A to the entering side A The path of the current isthen through the two motors in series.

In position 4, diagram 4, the current on this position enterstrolley-contact 10 via trolleyfinger, divides, part going to contact 9via connections 10, 17', and 9, thence to A Via finger 1 A and leavesvia finger 1 A going to contact 8, thence to contact 6 via connections 8and 6, thence to second armature and ground via finger 2 A. The otherpart leaves contact 10, goes to contact 5 via connections 10, 17, 9, and5, thence to F via finger 2 F, and then to contact 2 via finger 2 Fthence to contact 4 via connections 2 and 3, thence through F to theground via finger 1 F. The resistance (at this position is high) goingaround F starts at contact 10, thence through all the resistance viaconnection 16 and resistance-contact D and resistance-finger 6 to theleaving side of the second F via finger 1 F, contacts 4 and 3, andconnections 3 and 2.

In position 5, diagram 5, the only difference in this position from theone above is that the first field is now supplied with current directfrom the trolley, as the resistance placed around F has been decreasedto O. The current then reaches F direct from the trolley in thefollowing manner: In leaving the trolley-contact 10 the current goes tocontact 16 via connections 10 and 17, thence to first field via finger 1F.

Position 6, diagram 6: Armature 2 has been short-circuited, thusleaving'only one motor doing'work. The path of the current is asfollows: The current divides at contact 10, part going to contact 9 viaconnections 10, 17, and 9, thence to A via finger 1 A, thence to theground via finger 1 A contact 12, and connections 12 and 11 to contact 1and G finger. The other part leaving contact 10 goes to contact 16 viaconnections 10 and 17, thence to F and ground via finger 1 F.

Position 7, diagram 7: The path through the A and F of motor 1 is thesame as previous position. Current also flows from the trolley throughthe resistance and F to the ground. Its path is as follows: The currentleaving contact 10 goes to contact 16 via connections 10 and 17, thencethrough the resistance to contact 14 via finger 1 F, thence toresistance-finger 6, thence to resistance contact F, thence throughconnections 15 and 14. From contact 14 it goes to field 2, and theground G via finger 2 F and out by finger 2 F to contact 11, thence toground contact 1 via connection 11 and out G finger to ground.

In position 8, diagram 8, in addition to the paths of the current in theprevious position a new one is added in this position by connecting No.2 armature when the resistance has been decreased. The second armaturegets its current from contact 15 and goes through to the ground viafinger 2 A.

Position 9, diagram 9: This position is the same as the above, exceptthe field resistance has been removed, leaving two shunt-motors inparallel. The path of the currentis as follows: The current dividesintofour branches. The first leaving contact 10 goes to contact9 viaconnections 10', 17, and 9, thence to A and ground via finger 1 A andfinger 1A to contact 12, thence through connections 1.2

11 and ground-finger G, which connects with contact 1. The second branchleaves contact 10, goes to contact 17 via connection 10, thence to A andground via finger2 A. The third branch leaves contact 10, goes tocontact 16 via connections 10' 17, and thence to F and ground via finger1 F. The fourth branch leaves contact 10, goes to contact 16 viaconnections 10 and 17, thence to contact 14 via finger 1 F, thence tothe other finger 1 F, thence to contact 13, thence to contact 14 viaconnection 13, thence to F via finger 2 F, thence to ground via finger 2F and contact 11, connection 11, contact 1, and groundfinger G.

In position 10, diagram 10, both armatures receive their current inexactly the same manner as in the previous position. The path for thefields is as follows: Current leaving the contact 10 goes through onedivision of resistance, via connection 19, resistancecontact I,resistance-finger 1, to entering side of first field. Here it divides,part going right on through the first field to G and the other partreaching field 2 via finger 1 F, contact 13, connection 13, contact 14,and finger 2 F. It leaves the second field by finger 2 F and gets toground via contact 11, connection 11, and contact 1 and G finger.

Position 11,diagram 11: In this position the fields take current fromthe trolley through the entire resistance, as follows: The currentleaves contact 10, goes through the resistance via connection 19,resistance-contact J, resistance-finger 6, thence to the entering sideof F, from which place it follows paths exactly the same as in theprevious position.

By reference to diagrams l to 11 it will be seen that in all the runningpositions, whether the armatures are in series or in parallel with eachother, the field-circuit connection is always in parallel with thearmatures, so that any discharge-currents from the field-magnets mayfind apath of low resistance through the armature.

In position 13, diagram 13, (the first braking position,) the fields areexcited from the trolley as follows: The trolley-current leaves contactB goes by connection 13 7 to contact B thence through field F by finger2 F and coming out through 2 F to contact B", thence through onedivision of resistance,via connection B 4, resistance-contact K,resistancefinger 6, through F" to the ground. Both armatures areshort-circuited by connections B 5 and B 3 and contacts B B B B. In thisposition the short-circuited armatures act as brakes for the vehicle,the eilect being limited by the resistance in the field-circuitweakening the field.

Position 12, diagram 12: In this position the fields are more stronglyexcited, owing to most of the resistance being taken out, thus giving astronger braking effect. The current coming to the resistance goesthrough resistance-finger 1 and thus through one division only. Thisdifference in resistance is the only change from the combination above.The armatures remain connected in the same manner as previous position.

Indisconnecting a single motor from others in series a great deal oftrouble with and injury to the motors has been experienced whenattempting to short-circuit the armatu re simultaneously with or evensoon after short-circuiting the field, the trouble being caused byresidual magnetism remaining in the fields after the current has ceasedto flow in the coils. In one of the best-known standard railway-motorsit has been found that a current away above the capacity of thearmature-brushes to carry would be generated from the residual magnetismin the fields alone when the former was short-circuited. In practice itwas necessary with cast-iron motors to dwell about four secondsaftershortcircuiting the field before short-circuiting the armature, soas to give the resid ual magnetism time to die down. It has also beenfound by experience that where the fields were grad uallyshort-circuited the residual magnetism died down with a decrease ofcurrent through the coils and that the act of short-circuiting thearmature may much more closely follow the short-circuiting of thefields. It will be noticed in all of the working combinations andchanges the field is maintained in parallel with a low-resistancearmature.

Fig. 2 represents in elevation the preferred form of controller. Thewheel Eis connected with the cylinder, a development of which is shownin Fig. 1. In the cylinder, Fig. 2, contact 0 corresponds with thoseshown in development numbered, respectively, from 1 to 17, while theterminals of the translating devices (represented by the disks inFig. 1) are shown at D, Fig. 2. A side elevation of those fingers isshown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3 an eccentric is shownwhereby the finger may be removed and held away from the cylinder, sothat the cut-out switches ordinarily used in series-parallel controllersmay be dispensed with and the construction simplified. The upper wheel Gin Fig. 2 is used to vary the force of the separate motors, so that thevehicle may be steered somewhat in a manner used in driving a team ofhorses.

One of the motors is urged forward, while the other is held back, thusturning the vehicle. The shaft of the wheel G passes through the hollowspindle of the controlling-drum and is connected mechanically toresistances placed in separate motor-circuits. In this case theresistance is shown in the field-circuit. By turning the wheel G to theright resistance is taken out of the field of motor No. 1. It will beunderstood that adding resistance to the field of either motor increasesthe speed of its armature, while decreasing the resistance decreases thearmature speed.

In Fig. 5, L shows the batteries or source of energy, A and A representthe armatures, and F and F the corresponding fields of the motors. Inthe same Fig. 5 is shown a very convenient arrangement in the nature ofan overload-alarmi'-. e., a bell to ring when the motors or battery arebeing abused. The circuit of the bell J is shown connected in shunt witha block of carbon K, through which the main current passes, whether fromor to the battery. The bell is adjusted in any well-known way to respondto such a current as may be previously determined.

To avoid the possibility of accidents by the car failing to stop at thewill of the driver, whetherconnection is made with line or not, asupplementary switch is arranged, as shown at X in Fig. 6, to bring itto a stand under such circumstances. Suppose, for instance, the trolleyleaves the wire or the main fuse blows when the motors are running attheir highest speed. They are then instantly and automatically changedfrom shunt to series machines. Now in that position they will beshort-circuited through their own fields,

which are of high resistance. Consequently the energy wasted by themotors working as dynamos is small and its retarding effectproportionally efficient. Now if we move the controller backwardgradually to the first parallel position the current increases and thespeed of the car is decreased. It then we short-circuit the machines, asshown in Fig. 6, they again become shunt-wound dynamos and bring the carto a stand.

Having thus described the invention, the following is what is claimed asnew therein and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:

1. A controller for a pair of motors comprising contacts and connectionsadapted and arranged, in one position of the controller, to connect themotors in parallel, in opposite relation to each other, each armaturebeing in series with its field, and in a succeeding positioncross-connecting them so that each armature is in shunt with the fieldof the other motor and in series with its own field.

2. A controller for a pair of motors comprising contacts and connectionsadapted and arranged, in one position of the controller, to connect themotors in parallel, in opposite relation to each other, each armaturebeing in series with its field, and in a succeeding positioncross-connecting them so that each armature is in shunt with the fieldof the other motor and in series with its own field, a variableresistance in said cross connectiomand contacts in the controller forregulating such variable resistance.

3. The combination with the two oppositely-connected series motorsconnected in parallel to the circuit, of a cross connection between themotors, wherebya low-resistance path through the armatures is providedfor discharges from the fields and the motors are protected from theinduced current ordinarily caused by breaking of circuit.

4. A controller for regulating a pair of electric motors comprisingcontacts and connections adapted and arranged, in one position, toconnect the armatures in series in one cir- IIO cuit and thefield-magnets in series in a separate circuit, and in succeedingpositions to gradually short-circuit the field of one motor,short-circuit and remove the corresponding armature, and then connect itand its fieldin parallel with the armature ot' the other motor.

5. A controller for regulating a pair of electric motors comprisingcontacts and connections adapted and arranged, in one position, toconnect the armatures of the motors in series and the fields in seriesin separate circuits, and in succeeding positions to drop one of themotors from the circuit and to thereafter connect the armatures andfields of both motors in parallel.

6. A controller for regulating a pair of motors to change their armatures from series to parallel, comprising contacts and connectionsadapted and arranged in one position to connect one motor to butdisconnect the other motor from the circuit, and in succeeding positionsto partially excite the field of the disconnected motor, and tothereafter connect the armature of said latter motor in circuit inparallel with the field thereof, so that the current generated by thesecond armature is neutralized by that from the line.

7. A controller for regulating a pair of motors, comprising contacts andconnections adapted and arranged, in one position, to connect thearmatures of said motors in series and their field-magnets in series,and in succeeding positions, to increase the voltage of one of themotors by removing the other motor from the circuit, and to excite thefields of the second motor by a connection independent of its armatureand of the first motor, and to then connect the armature of the secondmotor in parallel with that of the first motor.

8. A controller for regulating a pair of motors to change theirarmatures from series to parallel, comprising contacts and connectionsadapted and arranged, in one position, to disconnect one of the motorsfrom the circuit, and in succeeding positions to connect the field, andsubsequently the armature of said motor, in parallel with the otherarmature.

9. A controller for regulating a pair of electric motors, comprisingcontacts and connections adapted and arranged to change the armaturesfrom series to parallel relation and maintaining the field-magnets inparallel with the armatures when operating the armatures in series or inparallel.

10. In an electric Vehicle, the combination with the motor, storagebattery and controller, of an electric bell connected in circuit withthe battery and motors, and responsive to overload on the battery.

11. In an electric vehicle, the combination with the motor andcontroller, of an electric bell arranged with a shunt in the circuit ofthe motor and responsive to overload thereon.

SUSIE A. HENRY, Erecutfloc 0f the estate of John O. Henri (Zeceased.

\Vitnesses:

SAIDEE T. HENRY, 1 CARL HENRY.

